This invention relates to a window or door drain and, more particularly, relates to a water drain or weep hole at the base of an extruded window or door sash or frame.
Frames used for mounting sliding or rolling vent panels in windows or doors are commonly made of extruded plastic or metal alloy members. The window frame is formed with channels having vertical walls or flanges to accommodate and mount both the sliding or rolling panel and the fixed panel. Such construction is susceptible to moisture ingress, resulting in the collection of water in the channels of the sash. To drain the collected water, weep holes are provided in the flanges or the walls of the channels in the sash.
During storms, winds of high velocity cause a zone of high air pressure on and adjacent the walls of buildings, relative to the air pressure within the buildings and relative to the air pressure within the sashes of windows located on said walls, particularly if said windows are snugly mounted. The interiors of the window frames, such as extruded plastic or metal window frames, are essentially hollow and contain recesses in which single, double and triple-glazed window panes are mounted by means of continuous resilient flanges. The high exterior air pressure thus in effect generates a partial vacuum within the window frames which sucks up water as it flows down and across the exterior faces of the windows during storms to accumulate within the window frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,201 discloses a construction comprising inner and outer channels, characterized by an inside and outside flange, and a common flange between the two channels. A weep hole is provided in the common flange to drain the inner channel into the outer channel and then out through a weep hole provided in the outside flange. The weep hole in the common flange includes a flapper valve for preventing inward flow of dirt or moisture into the inner channel. Unfortunately, where a partial vacuum is generated in the window, as above described, the flapper valve may close, preventing escape of collected liquid in the inner channel.
In one broad aspect the present invention provides a window unit including an extruded frame and a moveable window panel, the frame comprising a channel for mounting the window panel therein, a cavity disposed outwardly of the channel, first and second throughbores for facilitating communication between the channel and the cavity, wherein the first throughbore is disposed at a level below the second throughbore, a third throughbore for facilitating communication between the cavity and an external environment, and a first weeper, mounted in the first throughbore, including a flapper valve characterized by open and closed positions, wherein the flapper valve assumes the open position upon urging by fluid pressure in the channel. The window unit can further include a second weeper, mounted in the third throughbore, including a flapper valve characterized by open and closed positions, wherein the flapper valves assumes the open position open urging by fluid pressure in the cavity.
In another aspect the present invention provides a water drain unit for insertion in a mating wall slot in a window unit, comprising a frame, a first and a second set of mating holes formed in the frame, a first seating surface including a first orifice, and a second seating surface including a second orifice, wherein the first and second seating surfaces are mounted in the frame and wherein the first and second orifices are in communication, and a flapper valve mounted within either of the first or second set of mating holes for seating against the first seating surface when mounted in the first set of mating holes and for seating against the second seating surface when mounted in the second set of mating holes. The frame can further comprise a peripheral flange disposed at a first end for abutment against the wall of a window unit, and defining a drain opening, a deep upper wall with a plurality of upstanding ribs extending therefrom for frictional engagement with the wall slot, a shallow lower wall with a plurality of pliable ribs depending therefrom for frictional engagement with the wall slot, and first and second sidewalls extending between and joining the upper and lower walls, each of the sidewalls terminating and merging with a second end of the frame to define a second open end.